“If music is the color of life, then I wonder what my palette looks like”

Graduation is just around the corner. In exactly 4 weeks and 4 days, I will be walking across the stage, accepting my “diploma”, that empty folder of a thing that represents the completion of my undergraduate degree.

With that thought in mind, I’ve been trying hard to spend as much time with my friends as possible. However the sad reality is that a majority of these friends I am making time for, those people who were such important parts of these last 4 years of my life, are probably not going to be of such importance post-graduation. I used to let this get me down a lot, and it still does, but my friends have helped me wrap my head around this situation by putting it into perspectives that I have never thought about.

One of my best friends compares friendships as running a hostel (lol) where different people come, go, and stay for different periods of time. Some come back, but some never will, and that’s okay. For him, he will always be there running that hostel, welcoming returnees with open arms if they decide to come back. For me, that has always been an issue. When someone decides to walk out, I tend to close those doors and not want to let them back in. Maybe it’s a pride thing? I don’t know. But from his point of view, why not let these individuals back in? Life happens. Sometimes it just doesn’t permit some friendships from lasting. If some people do decide to wander back and “put in their fair share of work in the hostel” why not let them stay?

Another close friend of mine shared that many of his friends never know where they stand with him because he tends to keep his emotions to himself. I am exactly the same. Just like him, I wondered if people I hope and want to keep in touch with after graduation actually know and feel the same way. While he was at a music festival and high off life and music (among other things, haha) he decided to express his feelings to one of his friends, telling his friend that he really appreciated their friendship and no matter where he ended up after graduation, he really wanted to keep that friend in his life. He realized that he just needed to do the simple thing that we often forget; share how he felt to the people he felt those feelings for. Let them know because if you feel that strongly about them, they most likely feel the same.

Anyways, /endrantaboutfriendships. I am truly grateful for everyone that has stumbled into my life in the last four years. Whether big or small, ya’ll have played a role in my college experience and if that is the end of the road for us, I’m learning to accept that. If not, feel free to step back into my hostel some time. I’ll keep them doors open with some tea, cookies, and good stories to share.

Random side note: If you were wondering about the title, it has nothing to do with the post. I just thought it was an extremely interesting way to use color as a metaphor for music that a friend shared with me today. It makes you think, doesn’t it?